Design forming apparatus for woven fabrics and the like



Nov. 8, 1932. 1,886,547

DESIGN FORMING APPARATUS FOR WOVEN FABRICS AND THE LIKE J. HOFFMANN Filed March 5. 1930 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATS JOSEF HOFFMANN, F OERLINGHAUSEN, GERMANY DESIGN FORMING APPARATUS non woven rABRrcs AND THE LIKE Application filed March 5, 1930, Serial No. 433,286, and in Germany March 9, 1929.

In the printing of woven fabrics, carpets, wallpapers and other surfaces upon which a pattern is to be impressed it is usual to employ printing rollers. These by their nature simply repeat the composite pattern wh1ch has been already engraved or otherwise reproduced on them. The object of my present invention is to provide means whereby the pattern desired may be arranged rapldly and impressed upon the surface as desired, and by which means also the composit on of the pattern may be changed at will without trouble, even during the process of the work. This latter feature is particularly valuable inasmuch as the pattern may be changed so that a very large surface, for instance a carpet, may bear a pattern pecul ar to itself and consisting of elements comprising one single pattern or design and not merely several repeats of a single pattern or design.

According to the invention a plurality of colour applying elements are arranged on a movable holder in such a manner that each of such elements may be moved at will to be applied to any part of a surface to be treated. Colour applied to the surface at any point may be exhausted through the fabrlc by vacuum in the manner well known in the art of treating textile yarns and the like in wound form.

By providing the necessary pattern ele ment forming means it will be seen that with b the arrangement above indicated the colour boxes may be grouped to give lines, curves, convolutions, or elements of a pattern, design, or outline.

A suitable and practical arrangement of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawing annexed, which are diagrammatic and in which Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 a side elevation of the apparatus.

In this drawing, 1 indicates a plurality of colour boxes which are adapted to receive dyestuff or colour in liquid form, these boxes being borne upon rods which are bolted to cross bars carried by a rail 2 slidably mounted in a wheeled carriage 3. The wheels of the carriage run upon parallel rails 4L, and the 50 width of the carriage between wheels, and

thus the distance between the rails 4, is sufficient to allow of a surface 5 which is to be treated, being placed between the-rails 4 upon a suitable table or support. 1 Each colour box 1 is provided with an outlet or nozzle 6.

Twelve colour boxes are shown in the drawing, but any number of theminay be provided. Assuming that they have been sliddeninto the positions shown in Figure 1, and the colour boxes put into operation which may be effected bypneumatic pressure upon the contents of the boxes,the opening of a cock on each nozzle 6, or in any other mannerand pressure applied to the boxes singly, or in sections, or to all of them simultaneously by a suitable pressure device, then the colour from each box under pressure will be applied tothe surfaceb'belowi This arrangement of colourpoints may be repeated if desired, the carriage being moved alon the surface 5, and where desired the colour boxes are slid upon their supporting rods to change the pattern scheme. Thus the pattern may repeat itself, then another combination ofpattern elements may be effected, then another, with or without repeats, and so on. In the drawing, the rail 2 is shown as being moved transversely of the surface 5, andthis movement permits of any box 1 on either side of such rail being brought over any point on a line below a line of colour oxes.

The nozzles 6 may be contoured to give the desired pattern element to be impressed on the surface. Further, stencils may be em- 5 ployed in co-operation with the nozzles to give the necessary pattern element on the surface.

WVhere it is desired to impregnate the material 5 being treated throughout its thickness, a suction nozzle may be applied at each point to which colour is applied, or the table or support on which the material is supported may be formed as a casing in communication with an air vacuum pump.

It will be seen that not only can the series of colour boxes be moved by means of the carriage 2, but also each colour box may be moved along transversely of the surface 5 I 00 so that on a line transverse of the surface 5 1 I the same colour and the same design element may be applied more than once by one of the 7 colour boxes.

Although colour boxes which contain the desired colours are shown, they may be in communication by flexible supply pipes with the necessary number of colour storage vats. Also, the surface 5 may be movable on or with its table or support to bring successive sections under the colour applying points, or

the fabric constituting-the:surfaceo may-berolled upon a rotatable cylinder for the same purpose.

I claim V 1. In a design colouring apparatus for fabrics, a series of movable colour-,applyingyelementsfittedirelativelyto each other to form I a cletermined pattern design, aholder'for the series, and means for efi'ectingbodily move: ment of the holder, and thus of the arranged elementsthereon, transversely of and zlongitudinally ,of-a fabric .to Joe-treated.

' 2.: Ina design colouring apparatus :for fab.- rics, aseries of movable colour-applying, elements fitted relatively to each-other to form a determined pattern design, as slidable, rail on which. the elements areborne and onlwh-ich such elements are ,mova-ble;relatively1to each other, v.and a wheeled carriagebearingvthe slidable rail and itself movable at rightangl-es to the direction; of slidingv movement of. the rail thereon.

" 3. Aseries.of;colour-applyingyelenients:as V

claimed, in; claim 1, each, such element con:

I sisting, of, av colour container. and: an, open mouthed mouthpiece; forapplication-to a stae .tionary fabric. 7 s

In testimony whereof I havehereunto-set my hand. v

o r J OSEF HOFFMANN; 

